Venetian blind headrail support



Jan. 18, 1938. w, J STUBER 2,106,074

VENETIAN BLIND HEADRAIL SUPPORT Filed June 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 18, 1938. w. J. STUBER VENETIAN BLIND HEADRAIL SUPPORT Filed June 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 unllll I Patented Jan. 18, 1938 PATENT' OFFICE VENETIAN nnmn HEADRAIL SUPPORT Walter J. Stuber, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Carey-McFall 00., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 13,

3 Claims.

I nism by which the slats of the blind are raised and lowered, and the mechanism for tilting the slats are all assembled as a compact unit which may be readily removed and replaced adjacent a window or other opening intended to -be covered by the blind; and wherein the entire blind structure may be removably hung within the window opening, between the plane of the sash and the plane of the inside trim of the window frame, or wholly within the room or the inner face of the 5 inside trim'of the window frame in overlapping relation to the sides and top of the window opening; and wherein, in either case, the whole of the operating mechanism of the blind is esthetically encased and hidden from view from the interior of the room.

The invention further contemplates a novel construction in the enclosure or casing for the above operating mechanisms of the blind and a novel v mechanism for locking the unit in place adjacent the window openin confines of the area of the window opening, with certain portions of the casing structure broken away for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the unit-supporting structure with parts of the head rail broken away to illustrate the latch mechanlsm for maintaining the unitary structure in normal position adjacent the window opening;

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the left side supporting bracket shown in Fig. 1 and also in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a similar perspective view of the later development of a right hand supporting bracket.

The unitary blind structurecomprises a head rail I which as noted above is adapted to support and solely carry the whole of the blind structure.

Secured to the under side of the head rail I is a pair of brackets 2 and 3 respectively which support a tilting rail 4. The blind structure 5 is attached to the tilting rail 4, and, as usual, comprises a series of substantially parallel, hori- 1936, Serial No. 85,174

zontally disposed and vertically spaced slats 6, 6. The slats' 6 are supported by and between laterally spacedladder tapes I and 8. The lower ends of the tapes I and 8 are connected to a bottom rail II.

Raising and lowering of the bottom rail II and consequentlythe slats 6, 6, one after another, is accomplished by a pair of cords, ropes or equivalent means. indicated at I2 and I3 which pass through openings in the head rail I and around pulleys I6 and II which are rotatably mounted in a longitudinally extending slot l8 formed in the upper surface of the head rail I. From the pulleys I6 and II, the pull ropes l2 and I3 extend longitudinally through the groove I8 to a pulley I9 which is rotatably mounted in said groove adjacent the right hand end of the head rail I, as viewed in Fig. 1. From the pulley I9, the ropes or cords I2 and I3 passthrough a locking device 20.

In order to provide the pivotal or lateral tilting movement of the tilting rail 4 and slats 6, said rail in the present instance is provided at one end with a trunnion or pin 9 which has bearing in an opening formed in the depending end of the bracket 3;

The opposite end of the tilting rail 4 is mounted on, carriedxby, and permanently secured to an element forming a detachable part of the tilting mechanism Hi. In the present instance, such element is provided with a trunnion stud I4, said stud being pivotally mounted in a bearing. formed in the bracket 2 and arranged in axial alignment with the trunnion 9 at the opposite end of the tilting rail 4.

In order to support the head rail I for convenient removal and replacing as noted above, a pair of brackets 25, 251; are provided, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 3. These brackets each comprise a main 'body or web 26 which is disposed in a single plane. Extending laterally from and at right angles to the plane of the body web 26 are lugs 21,- 28, 29 and 30, the lugs 21 and 28 being disposed in a common plane at right angles to a common plane in which the lugs 29 and 30 are disposed, said planes defining two intersecting marginal edges of the web 26.

The web 26 and the lugs 29 and 30 are provided with openings 3|, 32 and 33 respectively for the accommodation of screws by which the brackets 25 may be secured in place, either flatly against the inner surfaces of the side rails 35 of thewindow frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or projecting into the room from the inside of the window frame wherein said brackets may be secured to the inner face 36 or the inside trim 31 of the window frame.

when the head rail I 'and the blind supported thereby are to be installed within the window space as in Figs. 1 and 2, the screws 34 are passed through the openings 3| in the web 26 of the bracket 25 to secure said brackets with the webs 26 thereof in fiat abutting relation to the inner surface of the side rails 35 of the window frame. However, to support the head rail I and the blind structure carried thereby on the inside trim of the Window frame, the screws 34 are passed through the openings 32 and 33 of the lugs 29 and 30 of the brackets 25.

The lugs 21 and 28 in either case function to support the weight of the head rail I and the blind structure carried thereby, and in order to prevent accidental displacement of the head rail I from the brackets 25, 25 said head rail is slotted inwardly from its opposite ends respectively, as indicated at 31 in Fig. 2, for the reception of the latches 38 which are slidably mounted in said slots and guided for vertical movement therein by a pair of nails or pins 39 and 40 driven into the rail and intersecting the slot 31 therein and passing through a vertical slot 4I formed in the latch 38. The latch is freely slidable in the slot 31 and drops by gravity until the upper end of the slot 4| therein engages the pin or nail 39.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lug 21 of each bracket 25 is provided with a slot 42.- The latch 38 is provided with a horizontal notch 43 which extends inwardly from one of its vertical edges. The latch 38 is also provided with a finger grip.

When the head rail I is installed in operating position on the brackets 25, 25 the latch 38 is brought into alignment with the notch 42 in the lug 21 and drops by gravity to a position wherein the body of the latch intersects the plane of the lug 21 whereby it is impossible to slide the head rail I in either direction laterally and relative to the brackets 25.

In order to remove the head rail I and the structure supported thereby from the supporting brackets 25, 25a the latches 38, 38 are raised by pressing upwardly on the finger pieces 44 until the horizontal notches 43 in the body of each latch 38 is brought into the plane of the lug 21. The head rail I may then be moved laterally from the brackets 25, 25 wherein the lugs 21, 21 of said brackets pass through the horizontal notches 43in the latches 38.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that the head rail with the entire blind structure and the operating mechanisms therefor may be readily removed and replaced in position adjacent a window opening merely by the elevation of the latches 38 in the manner noted.

In order to hide the operating mechanisms of the blind, but at the same time to provide for inspection of these mechanisms without removal of the head rail from the supports and also to provide for the ready removal of the head rail from the supports 25, the head rail 1 is rabbeted along its upper inner edge as indicated at 50 in Figs. 1 and 2 to provide for the swinging of a cover board or apron 5| from the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, wherein said apron hides the head rail. and the operating mechanisms supported on the under side thereof, to a horizontal positionwherein said mechanisms will be exposed to View, said apronbeing pivotally secured to the head rail I, in the present instance, by hinges having one leaf secured to the back face of the apron and the other hinge portion secured to the horizontal surface of the rabbet 50 in the head rail I, said rabbet providing space for the upper edge of the apron to swing inwardly without contacting the upper rail of the window frame.

In cases where the head rail I is to be mounted on .the inside of the window frame trim the rabbet edge 50 of the rail I may be eliminated and the hinge portion mounted directly on the upper surface of the head rail, it being noted that with the head rail mounted in that manner the apron 5I may swing freely. When the head rail is mounted in that manner, the mechanism under the head rail and the brackets 25 supporting the head rail would be exposed to view at the opposite ends of the head rail and in order to complete the casing for enclosing the operating parts of the blind end aprons are provided and secured preferably to the brackets 25, al-

though it will be obvious that if desired these end aprons may be secured to the ends of the head rail I and function in the same manner.

The bracket shown in Fig. 4 includes. all of the essential parts of the bracket shown in Fig. 3, including a web 25a, lugs 21a, 28a. the lugs 29 and 30 being in the form of a single flange indicated as 293IJ, said web lugs and flange having openings 3Ia, 32a and 33a respectively. The lug 21a is provided with the locking slot 42a.

In addition the bracket 25a is provided with .a lug or flange 45 which is bent inwardly from and at to the plane of the web 26a and which functions to engage the upper face 46 of the head rail I, which is of particular value when the blind is mounted on the inside trim of the window frame, for example, to keep the.

head rail from being raised off the supporting lugs 21a and 2811.

I claim:

1. In a Venetian blind comprising a slotted head rail; a supporting bracket for the head rail, said head rail slot being located adjacent the bracket, and a latch slidably mounted in the head rail slot and cofunctioning with the bracket to prevent accidental displacement of the head rail from the bracket.

2. In a Venetian blind comprising a slotted head rail; a supporting bracket for the head rail, said head railslot being located adjacent the bracket in a plane perpendicular to the head rail-supporting portion of the bracket, and a latch slidably mounted in the headrail slot and passing through a corresponding slot formed in said head rail-supporting portion of the bracket and intersecting said portion to prevent lateral displacement of the head rail on the bracket.

3. In a Venetian blind comprising a slotted head rail; a supporting bracket for the head rail, said head rail slot being located adjacent the bracket in a plane'perpendicular to the head rail-supporting portion of the bracket, and a latch slidably mounted in the head rail slot and passing through a corresponding slot formed in said head rail-supporting portion of the bracket and intersecting said portion to prevent lateral displacement of the head rail on the bracket, said latch having a slot adapted to be aligned with said head rail-supporting portion of the bracket for releasing the head rail from the bracket.

WALTER J. STUBER. 

